It seems like every week of the 2026 NWSL regular season is a healthy mix of competition and chaos, and with midweek fixtures on the horizon, the margins for error are about to be invisible. After Wednesday's slate of matches, every team will be level on games played, and that means just six games will separate teams in the NWSL Shield race, those battling for playoff positioning, and others on the outside looking in. That means it's time to dive back into my weekly NWSL Power Rankings.
So if you're trying to keep track of where your favorite team lands, here are my previous rankings. Power isn't just for teams at the top of the rankings; clubs hovering at the bottom of the list are making plenty of statements. Over the weekend, Chicago Stars FC had the honor of being the first team eliminated from NWSL playoff contention, but did so in epic fashion.
The Stars stole a point on the road against Portland Thorns in late stoppage time and have earned some respect back while adding to the Thorns' recent winless woes. Boston Legacy also had their say in instilling doubts for teams in the NWSL Shield race. Washington Spirit have built an incredible home environment at Audi Field, but that just means opponents want to spoil the show, and Amanda Gutierres did just that when she added two insurance goals after Aissata Traore's game-winner.
Amanda Gutierres took it herself for this goal 🤯 pic.twitter.com/lpXixUO0UK Boston and Chicago's scrappy efforts against teams making the playoff push are what make the NWSL the most competitive league in the world. So rightfully, they've earned some bumps up in the rankings, while Portland and Washington have slipped.
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